Maybe. In 2009, 10-year-old Sussex spaniel Stump, owned by veteran dog handler Scott Sommer of Houston, took top honors at the show.

This year, 134 Texas entries are among the approximately 2,600 dogs representing the 179 American Kennel Club breeds and varieties eligible to compete in the two-day show at Madison Square Garden.

Could Poppy, an 18-month-old Norfolk terrier that lives in The Woodlands with Beth Kravetz, win the best-of title during her first trip to New York?

“Probably not,” Kravetz said. “She shouldn’t finish dead last, but she might be ninth out of 10. And that’s OK.”

Kravetz, a retired lawyer, is proud that her first show dog was invited to Westminster but says she is still learning about the dog-show world. “I’m looking forward to the whole experience. I mean, I’ve watched it on TV for years and years and years. I think it will be fun. It will be stressful.”

Sherry photo

Leo

Dick Sherry of Richmond, who will be making his sixth trip to Westminster with a golden retriever, predicts Kravetz will be caught up in the excitement.

“There’s no doubt about it; it’s the most prestigious dog show in America,” said Sherry, who will be showing 3-year-old Leo. “And you go back for the thrill of it and because there’s always the possibility that you are going to do well.”

Judges choose the best-of-breed winners on Monday and Tuesday mornings to compete in the evening group shows, which are televised. After judging, all the dogs are required to return to a commons area where visitors can view them. It is a tradition that Sherry enjoys.

“Some of the owners keep their dogs in their crates, but I like to leave our dog out. So people come over and pet him and take pictures. They take tons of pictures,” he said. One year Greta van Susteren stopped to admire a dog owned by Sherry and his wife, Pamela. Another time one of their dogs appeared in an Andy Rooney segment on 60 Minutes.

Seven-year-old gundog dog Jaeger, who has been on hunts with former Vice President Dick Cheney, is the first Boykin spaniel to earn AKC’s grand-champion title, Greg Copeland said. The other dog, 3-year-old Kelley, will be shown by Houston’s popular handler Sommer, who knows how to spot winners.

Other area dogs to cheer for at Westminster include

Trudie, a Tibetan terrier owned by Susan Schultz of Magnolia;

Mason, a Vizsla owned by Susan Rushing, Deborah Verret and Debbie Sullivan, all of Orange;

Trouble, a Japanese chin, owned by Guy Heiman and Dr. Eugene Heiman of The Woodlands;

Pennant, a Pembroke Welsh corgi, owned by Jim Johnson of Fulshear;

Moose, a Rhodesian Ridgeback, owned by Rick and Heike Fulton of Kingwood;

Mo, an Australian cattle dog, owned by Doc Sherry of Angleton;

Inge, a standard poodle, owned by Arvid and Holly Sundbeck of Beach City.

One Response

Meh, none of those dogs have anything on my rescue poodle with the mysterious scar across the right side of his head and several missing teeth, or my labrador who insists on keeping his nethers immaculately clean – and prefers an audience while carrying out that chore.